Neorealism was quick to take the international film scene, reflecting the bleak outlook and landscape of europe after the war. This scene was championed by director Roberto Rossellini, who made the biggest splash on the culture when his film L’amore (1950) was attempted to be banned in new york for sacrilege but was ultimately protected by the first amendment. That was the first time a film was shielded by the constitution and promptly stripped most of the production code and restriction away with it. In italy however, these films were being banned for not being “in the best interest” for the state and failing to depict a thriving post-war Italy.
Actress Olivia de Havilland, known for playing Melanie in Gone with the Wind succeed in a lawsuit in the supreme court against Warner Bros that created what is now know as the Havilland decision. This decision now made it illegal for production companies to artificially lengthen the contract of an actor when they were unwilling to to take a role in a particular project. This was not long followed by anti-trust lawsuits ruling that studios could not force theaters to buy their entire slate of films instead of just the one they wanted, and a another anti-trust ruled that Technicolor and Eastman Kodak had a monopoly on the industry and soon Kodak made their color film patents available to their competitors. The same year Paramount Pictures fought hard to keep their vertical integration tactic but eventually signed a decree to sell all their theaters as would other companies how used the strategy.
This slurry of lawsuits made the fall of the studio system quick. They switched to making fewer, more budget conscious products to compete with rising costs and shirking markets. Theaters were now looking for independent film makers for movies as they were far better deals and filled the power vacuum left by big studios.
Contracts with actors were closer to two to three films instead of years, and James stewart struck the first acting deal made by percentage of the films gross profit, making him a millionaire overnight. After the legendary deal, actors were working on a film by film basis for the highest bidder.
Film Noir exploded in American for its cheap production and grittiness that all the rage from the popularity of Neorealism. Part of their success can be attributed to their emphasis on the femme fatale. An interesting effect of
This is currently incomplete but will be finished later don’t worry :)
The Auteur Theory: the director cited as the most important person involved in the creation of a film. French Journal Cahier du Cinema was the first major publication ot recognize that the films of the great cinematic stylist - Hitchcock, Renoir, Hawks, and the rest - each had a distinctive visual signature and range of thematic interests or motifs that made very direction an instantly recognizable individual with his own set of values levels of social engagement and visual style
Early directors worked “without the acknowledgment that was afforded novelist, playwright, composers, and other major figures in the creative arts.
They rescued the american cinema and its directors from critical oblivion and forced a reassessment of the classical hollywood cinema based not on the stars, but rather on the men and women who actually made the films
This is now often criticized as their are example of films that are really made bu there actors (marx brothers, etc). its a debate now
in a nutshell: its like the great man theory in history
1960s
French New Wave (maybe over stated)
Note: in 1968, the MPAA instituted the rating system as we know it today wit G, PG, R, and X
Experimental Films -> Art Films -> Classical Hollywood Cinema
Experimental:
Art Film:
Classical Hollywood Cinema:
Hiroshima, Mon amour (1959), Alain Resnais – originally censored in canada, co-production between america and japan
Cows & Cows & Cows (2010) Cyriak - apparently art students have never seen Cyriak before (i have never consider this would be shown in universities - i wonder what he would think of that)
Un Chien Andalou - they really just showed a scene of a girl having your eye slit up
Breathless (1960) and Le Petit Soldat (1960) by Jean luc godard
who is afraid of virginia wolf (1966) by Mike Nichols
blowup (1966) by michelangelo Antonioni
Midnight Cowboy (1969) by John Schlesinger - first x rated film win best picture
Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) - the film to introduce american audiences to the avant-garde
SLeep (1963) by Andy Warhol
Empire (1964) by Andy warhol
Wavelength (1967) by Micheal Snow
Spellbound (1945) by Alfred hitchcock - references salvador dali and un chien andalou